Show: Wax the Van

When are you on?
The show is on on Mondays from 8pm to 10pm.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
Soulful disco and House, quality Soul music – soul food.

How did you discover this music?
I never got into a specific type of music, I’ve been into music all my life. I’m a musician, I’m in two bands and I’ve been playing the bass guitar for 20 years.

I’m in a band called Melaosa we’ve been playing gigs and stuff for a while. My other band called Two Hats has just started getting gigs.

I got into dance music through the early Acid House scene in ’89, ’90, that’s what turned me on to dance music and the origins of dance music are Disco.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
I’ve been DJ’ing since about 1991.

How did you start DJ’ing?
I went back to a house party after a rave, jumped on the decks and it went from there.

Can we find you DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I occasionally DJ at bars, pubs, clubs, and free parties usually playing Deep House and Soulful House.

What has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
I’ve had a couple of DJ’ing nightmares but nothing really embarrassing.

I had a gig at the Amber Rooms a while ago and there was just one bar man and no staff. A couple of chavs from the private party upstairs walked in by mistake and asked if I could play some R&B! I told them it was billed as a house night and I’d see what I could do. It really was an upsetting experience!

Also someone once asked me for Christina Aguilera at a house night at the Thee Fat Fish (before it was The Hub). She came behind the decks, I turned around and there was this woman there asking for Christina Aguilera! I said: “Well Rococo’s is just up the road you may have better luck there!”

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
One of my best experiences was New Year 07/08. I had a gig with Melosa then just after midnight I DJ’ed for four hours. That was a real moment, it was fantastic.

Who is your favourite artist?
My hero bass player is Jaco Pastorius and my favourite DJ is José Padilla the original Café Del Mar DJ.

What is you all time favourite album?
Innervisions by Stevie Wonder, it’s just fantastic music.

Where do you shop for music?
Reform Records or the internet.

Show: Roots and Shoots.

When are you on?
Roots and Shoots is on on Monday’s from 6pm to 8 pm. I am one of a team of three on the show. My colleagues are Martin Henning and Rich Cooke. Sometimes there’s one of us, more often two. On special occasions, all three of us are on!

What can we expect to hear on the show?
Folk, roots, world music. I am encouraging – and getting – more and more live music from local artists on the show and we also do interviews with people involved in music locally.

How did you discover this type of music?
Listening and dancing to the various forms of folk/roots music over the years and developing a passion for it. I am active as a participant and dance leader of British, French/Breton and Eastern European dance. I am not much of a musician myself but have lots of friends who are!

From time to time I also organise and promote folk/roots music events in Devon.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
It’s been a lifelong ambition achieved. I began with Vibraphonic in 2006.

How did start DJ’ing?
Martin Henning had put in an application to present a show called ‘Roots and Shoots’ on Vibraphonic FM in 2006 and suggested to me that I share the presenting with him – which I was keen to do. I always wanted to be a DJ playing music I like!

Do you DJ anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I’m only on Phonic FM.

What has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Going for an on the spot interview with someone who (I discovered) had very little command of English. I failed to get much out of him!

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
Playing music by and interviewing local singer, songwriter, guitarist Tobias Ben Jacob, a joy to be with: intelligent, calm, relaxed and informative – and so talented. I get a real buzz out of interviewing interesting people on air.

Who is your favourite artist?
I can never think about one favourite though the quintessentially English singer Shirley Collins comes to mind.

What is you all time favourite album?
Difficult again but I’ll go for Shirley Collins’ Power of the True Love Knot, simple, soulful and beautifully crafted music that sends me to another place!

Where do you shop for music?
I don’t really shop in any one place, but I do like Solo Records.

Show: Ja-Fu-Re!

When are you on?
I am on every Tuesday between 2pm and 4pm.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
Jazz, Latin, Funk, Reggae and everything in between.

How did you discover this music?
I was listening to other DJs in Plymouth and one of them had a record shop. Whenever I went into the record shop he would recommend music. He would always give me stuff that he knew I liked not what he liked. It wasn’t just about selling me records cause I could go though a whole lot and say no I don’t want any of those, he’d be fine about it and do the same for me again the next week. The shop certainly lived up to its name – Really Good Records.

From there we started doing Cuban solidarity campaign nights to raise money for the Cuban solidarity campaign. I just got really into Cuban music in particular and Latin Jazz and Brazilian music.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
I’ve been on the radio since the start of Vibraphonic four years ago but have been DJ’ing for about 12 years.

How did you start DJ’ing?
I ran a pub and started filling in for people when they didn’t turn up. Then they started including me in their sets and getting me work elsewhere and inviting me to parties saying can you bring your records.

I got into Vibraphonic when they were looking for volunteers to do a show.

Can we find you DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I play at the North Bridge Inn every Sunday, the Kino Bar, Exeter Phoenix, Monkey Bars events, AEON Festival, Culm Valley FM and Squeeze.

What has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Missing the beat on a breakfast show on the internet and somebody in Latvia noticing.

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
The next week when the same people in Latvia loved it!

Who is your favourite artist?
Herbie Hancock – If you have to ask me why that’s insulting!

What is you all time favourite album?
Herbie Hancock and Fat Albert Rotunda, Fat Mama – our theme tune.

Where do you shop for music?
I shop in lots of different places but mainly Oxfam, Rooster Records, Solo, record fairs and charity shops.

Show: Dusty Toys, Space Junk

When are you on?
I’m on roughly every third Wednesday between 4pm and 6pm.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
Whatever you hear on the show is a happy accident concocted from the records I’ve had my whole life.

How did you discover this music?
Because it’s what I have in my record collection! The reason it’s so unintentional is because I do a lot of stuff that is very intentional. It’s a nice break to stand in the studio for a bit and play some records. I do a lot of crazy projects and this isn’t one of them!

How long have you been DJ’ing?
I don’t know. I started doing parties for my grandparent when I was three.

How did you start DJ’ing?
My grandparents gave me a load of records and I started off playing at people’s parties. I’ve always DJ’ed for a bit of fun.

Can we find you DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I do DJ in other places but nowhere regularly.

What was has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
There are hundreds and hundreds. I once accidentally pulled the power out and cut the sound at a 1000 capacity gig. On my blog there is a list of embarrassing things I’ve done.

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
I don’t think it got any better than playing for my grandparents – it was definitely the most love.

Who is your favourite artist?
Les Dawson did this thing where he played the piano really badly, but he was actually working really hard to play it so badly – genius.

What is you all time favourite album?
I’d have to say The Muppet Show album!

Where do you shop for music?
I own about 3000 records so haven’t brought any for about two years.

When are you on?
I’m on from 4pm to 6pm every third or fourth Friday.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
I play a lot of Soul, a lot of Funk and I also really enjoy Jazz. My favourite sort of Jazz is 60s Jazz onwards but I also play a little bit of contemporary Jazz.

How did you discover this music?
I grew up on a strict diet of soul music it was one of my childhood passions. I went to concerts by Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, George Benson and it kind of came from there really. Then I got more into Jazz, I was blown away by live Jazz when I was at university. Then I came across a DJ called Giles Peterson and ever since I came a cross him I’ve brought practically all of his CDs. He’s a London DJ, but his music captures the sort of music that I’m passionate about, Jazz, Funk, Soul and a little bit of international Latin as well.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
I did one show on last year’s Vibraphonic FM. Then I did the opening show for Phonic FM this year. It was quite a privilege and a great honour, having done only one show previously, to be given the opening show on Phonic FM. I can tell you the first ever track played on Phonic FM was Marvin Gay and What’s going on.

How did you start DJ’ing?
I started listening to Vibraphonic when it first appeared five years ago and I though this is exactly the kind of music I want to come out of the radio. I’ve been a passionate supporter ever since and listened to hours and hours of Vibraphonic every day during its broadcasting period. Then just through enthusiasm and willing I got the opportunity to do a show.

I’m a GP; I have no background in radio. I do have some experience in front of a microphone, I’ve done stand up comedy and I do a lot of public speaking, but I didn’t have any experience of the decks and mixing desk. Despite this the guys were happy to let me have a go. My first show was very stressful – it was the most challenging thing I did all of last year, and I’m a doctor!

Can we find DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
No, just on Phonic FM.

What has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
One of my friends recorded my first ever show and played it at a dinner party whilst we were all sitting having dinner. There were a couple of really bad cock ups, not only that but it my first ever time on the radio so I felt like a prat anyway. Oh my! To have to sit through my whole two hour show with my mates around the dinner table. Oh man! It was painful!

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
It would be either when you get really good feedback or when the timing is perfect. It’s great when you get an email through from someone you don’t know saying ‘I loved that track’ or ‘that was wicked’. Cause that’s what it’s all about – giving people the pleasure of good music.

Now and again you will cue something up and get the timing just right and that feels good as well.

Some of it is about the process getting it right and feeling competent, The rest of it is about feeling that they get it, that someone out there understand what you are playing!

Who is your favourite artist?
It depends what day of the week you catch me. If I had to pick one artist that I’ve loved in an enduring way I’d probably say Stevie Wonder. I’ve got such respect for that guy. Another guy I think is great is George Benson; he’s such a great performer, he’s been going for forty years and he’s still a good performer. In terms of Jazz I’m a big Miles Davis fan. My favourite Jazz pianist is Bill Evans and then Herbie Hancock.

What is you all time favourite album?
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis because it’s the greatest Jazz album ever produced.

Where do you shop for music?
I’m on first name terms with Amazon!

Show: TrenchTown Rock

When are you on?
I’m on from 2pm to 4pm every Friday except the first Friday in the month.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
I normally start with some classic Ska from the 60s, Prince Buster, The Skatalites, Don Drummond. Then I play a bit of Rocksteady, which was the music of the late 60s from Jamaica. Then I move into the 70s where Reggae really started to happen. It became really interesting and experimental during this time, there was a lot of dub played with people like Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, King Tubby and Prince Jammy who just went wild in the studio and messed about with the mixing desks to get load of echo on tracks. That has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance recently with a lot of English bands being influence by that era of music. I do play a bit of new Ska so Jazz Jamaica and even some new Skatalite tracks.

How did you discover this music?
It goes back to where I grew up. I grew up in Birmingham and Reggae music surrounded me. It was a great unifying force because it brought black and white kids together at a time great social and political upheaval. It was magical, and I still love it today. I’m into all sorts of music; I’m a passionate music fan but that kind of music really floats my boat.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
I’ve done discos. I did a John Peel tribute disco up in Birmingham. But I’d never done any radio broadcasting before I came to Phonic FM. The principle is fairly similar to doing discos but you do have to think on your feet a lot more when you are on the radio.

How did you start DJ’ing?
It’s always been a long time ambition. I’ve always loved music and listed to a lot of radio. Not mainstream radio, which I don’t listen to at all actually, but I’ve always loved specialist music shows. These days I listen to lot of internet radio because its very innovate and interesting. I think the logical next step was for me to do my own show.

I’m a journalist by profession and I interviewed Alan, the station manager, for a magazine I write for called the Plymouth Diary. During the course of the conversation he mentioned that Phonic were looking for presenters and he could tell I was interested and knowledgeable. I suggested I do a show and he invited me in – the rest, as they say, is history.

Can we find DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
No, only on Phonic FM.

What was has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Playing the wrong track, especially when you have built it up as being fantastic saying “you’ve got to listen to this,” then you play something completely different – that’s is embarrassing.

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
This whole presenting experience had made me look around for more music and buy more CDs. I really don’t mind that because it has expanded my knowledge and appreciation of the kind of music I play.

Who is your favourite artist?
There are so many they are too numerous to mention. Unfortunately some of the great Reggae artists are no longer with us and some of them died quite young like Mikey Dread, Dennis Brown, and of course Bob Marley. It’s a great shame that the Reggae scene has died down because some of these great artists are no longer with us.

I think any Reggae artist that is still on the scene is worth seeing because they’re a dying breed and they’re not being replaced. The music scene in Jamaica now has completely changed; the golden age was definitely the 60s and 70s.

What is you all time favourite album?
I’ll stick my heck out and say the The Congos and Heart of the Congos.

Where do you shop for music?
I shop on Amazon.

Show: Collision

When are you on?
I’m on on Thursday’s between 6pm and 8 pm.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
I play up front indie and alternative music.

How did you discover this music?
It was a natural progression of the style of music I grew up on. I was lent a copy of quaudrophenia when i was around 12 or 13 and through that I discovered bands like The Who, The Kinks, The Jam and Motown. Then I got into The Clash and The Smiths.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
Around 15 years.

How did you start DJ’ing?
It was something I always wanted to do as a kid. My father bought me my first record deck at the age of 13 and gave me a great deal of encouragement from an early age. He was never into music himself, but I’m sure he would have been chuffed to bits to here me on the radio.

Then a DJ from London called Tony Class gave me my ever DJ spot. From there I progressed to DJ’ing at national scooter rallies (where I still DJ today). My first club night was an an indie mod night at the cavern called Going Underground and it went very well. I have also held residencies in Bournemouth & Cardiff over the years.

But this radio show is my first ever crack at radio presenting!

Do you DJ anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I DJ at Collision, the South West’s longest running indie/alternative club night held every Friday at the Timepiece. I also do guest spots at various clubs and events around the UK.
Over the years I have DJ’ed for Oasis and alongside the likes of Steve Lamacq, Ash, Andy Lewis (acid jazz) and The Inspiral Carpets to name a few. I have been lucky enough to DJ in the States and across Europe as well as around the UK.

What has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
I once turned up to a venue in Porth Cawl and you were unable to stop the decks from spinning which made it nigh on impossible to cue anything up. There is nothing worse than turning up to venue and having to work with substandard/ unmaintained equipment

What has been your best DJing moment?
There are two really – DJ’ing on the 2006 Oasis stadium tour – it’s not every day do you get to DJ for oasis. Also DJ’ing at the High Rollers weekend in Las Vegas, a very surreal weekend – the place does not sleep – I’ve been invited back to do the 2009 event and then shall be flying on to LA to DJ at a club.

Who is your favourite artist?
Steve Marriott (small faces) and Paul Weller, they are both great artist’s. Steve Marriott had such a powerful soulful voice and both have written amazing songs.

What is you all time favourite album?
An impossible question to answer but two that stand out are Defiantly Maybe by Oasis, an album that defined an era and put British guitar music back on the map; and Wild Wood by Paul Weller, it was his finest moment to date.

Where do you shop for music?
I don’t generally buy much music as I’m in the lucky position of receiving tunes from record companies

Show: Lo Fi Hi Fi

When are you on?
I’m on air on the first Thursday of the month from 6pm to 8pm.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
Mash up, everything from hard electro through to older 50s and 60s stuff. A few of my own remixes come next year.

How did you discover this music?
Partly through going to Lo Fi hi Fi and my own obsessive compulsion to not sleep and read about things on the internet all night!

How long have you been DJ’ing?
About six months – I’ve come a long way!

How did you start DJ’ing?
Some of my mates were running the Lo Fi Hi Fi night at the Cavern. When they left we asked if we could take it over and they agreed.

Can we find you DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
I do the Lo Fi Hi Fi nights at the Cavern.
I also do my own night called Invasion of the Record Snatchers at the Amber Rooms every other Thursday. It harks back to the drive in B-movie era. We play old American B-movies from the 50s and 60s, couple that with music of the period and have a high school hop feel to it. When it’s really busy it’s amazing; it’s nice to see people dancing like their parents.

What was has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Probably just cutting out a song, being a bit more drunk than I though I was and tearing off a song!

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
DJ’ing at the Lo Fi Hi Fi v FYC night. We had 15 minutes sets and three minutes into my set the whole stage was packed with people dancing and going crazy it was wicked, definitely a pinnacle moment.

Who is your favourite artist?
I really like sebastiAn.

What is you all time favourite album?
Velvet Underground and Nico and their album of the same name.

Where do you shop for music?
I don’t, I steal it all of the internet.

Show: Lo Fi Hi Fi

When are you on?
From 6pm to 8pm every other Thursday.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
Techno, electro, punk, indie electro, underground, old and new with a vibrant style.

How did you discover this music?
When I was about nine or 10 I listened to the top 40 and I just progressed through. As more people lent me CDs and stuff I progressed more and more into more alternative indie electro music. I found it that way really.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
About two years.

How did you start DJ’ing?
We run a club night at the Cavern called Lo Fi Hi Fi and we heard bout Phonic FM setting up and went to the meetings. They wanted more people doing club nights and guitar based music and gave us a show.

Can we find DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
Yeah I play at Lo Fi Hi Fi nights at the Cavern.

What was has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Any time I’ve accidentally cut off the sound, it happened a few times.

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
Once some world champion break-dancers from Korea came down came down as part of the Vibraphonic festival. They came into the cavern after their show and we had loads of people break-dancing in the Cavern, it was amazing.

Who is your favourite artist?
At the moment I’m listening to Sunshine Underground and Die! Die! Die! They change quite a lot. I’m quite into my new music, unsigned band that kind of thing.

What is you all time favourite album?
The Die! Die! Die! Debut album called Die! Die! Die!

Where do you shop for music?
I like Oxfam record shops, general CD places and online, anywhere really.

Show: Lo Fi Hi Fi

When are you on?
I am on from 6pm to 8pm on the first Thursday of the month.

What type of music can we expect to hear on your show?
Up and coming alternative, anything that’s going make people dance, anything that people can move to, shake it to, anything that will get people going.

How did you discover this music?
By going to Lo Fi Hi Fi nights. But I’ve always had a love for guitar bands.

How long have you been DJ’ing?
About two years.

How did you start DJ’ing?
My fiends used to run Lo Fi Hi Fi. When they left university we asked if we could carry it on.

Can we find you DJ’ing anywhere other than on Phonic FM?
Yeah, I play at the Lo Fi Hi Fi nights at the Cavern.

What was has been your most embarrassing DJ’ing moment?
Pressing the queue button instead of the play button then having to hold the queue button down for three and a half minutes to play the whole song.

What has been your best DJ’ing moment?
The Freshers Ball – it was amazing. We played the Freshers Ball last year. It was incredible cause we were on the stage in front of 1000 people just doing what we wanted. It was a complete shock to all of us it was really surreal. We were like “Why are we here!”

Who is your favourite artist?
Erol Alkam. He’s the one who started the indie disco revival making remixes of guitar tracks and making them dance tracks not just guitar tracks. He’s one of the best in his field.

What is you all time favourite album?
General Disarray and Box of secrets by Blood Red Shoes.

Where do you shop for music?
Solo, Martian and Elusive Records. Elusive is a really good record shop in McCoy’s arcade I get all my vinyl from there.